Fabled as one of the Pillars of Hercules, Gibraltar has been a much sought after territory since Prehistory. Phoenicians, Vandals, and Visgoths occupied the territory; later, Moors and Spanish royalty took control of the area. After being ceded to Britain in 1713, Gibraltar served as a key base for Britain’s Royal Navy. Still of great strategic value, this 6.8-square kilometer territory is now known as one of the UK’s best places to dive. Several of Gibraltar’s most fascinating dive sites are located in Rosia Bay and just offshore – let’s dive right in for a peek back into time as well as for a look at the region’s underwater geology.
Inner Rosia Bay
Easily accessible and sheltered when other sites are blown out, Rosia Bay is a popular site for diver training – but that’s not all. Rosia Bay is Gibraltar’s only natural harbor. Today’s mariners rely on a number of man-made breakwaters for protection from occasional heavy weather; ancient Romans, Phoenecians, and others had only Rosia Bay. Today, divers marvel at the huge admiralty anchors that rest along the bay’s bottom; Roman and Phoenician anchors are also found here. Unwanted items of all sorts were tossed overboard in the bay, and at a spot nicknamed the Ink Wells, divers frequently find ancient pottery, old gin bottles, pipes, 18th and 19th century ink wells discarded by Royal Navy resupply personnel, and even WWII artifacts in the area. Last, but certainly not least, there are a number of submerged cars in Rosia Bay. These were dropped here in an attempt to create rudimentary artificial reefs, and they’re now doing a splendid job of providing habitat for all sorts of fish and other marine life.
Seven Sisters
At Seven Sisters, you’ll find yet more detritus that was lobbed overboard once its’ useful life was concluded; in addition, this area features a group of seven pinnacles that rise up from the seabed. With maximum depth at just a little more than ten meters near the pinnacles, this site is wonderfully colorful thanks to a proliferation of corals and sponges; it is home to octopuses, nudibranchs, crustaceans, moray eels, and many other creatures. In addition, it attracts plenty of fish including colorful anthias and wrasse. If you’re at all interested in underwater photography, this is an excellent site with plenty of subjects willing to pose for portraits. A little further out, depth drops to a still manageable 20 meters; watch for larger fish and rays while you poke through history’s dumpsite.
Sea Hawk Wreck
Located just outside Rosia Bay, the Sea Hawk wreck is an old wooden vessel situated at a depth of about 27 meters. Though slightly broken up, this wreck can be penetrated; it is mostly interesting for its marine life, however. Look for seahorses and pipefish here, along with crabs and the octopuses that enjoy dining on them. The wreck sometimes serves as a hotel for cuttlefish, and is an excellent site for simply watching a never-ending parade of fish and other critters as they pass. Though some intrepid divers take the somewhat lengthy surface swim out to the wreck site, many prefer to do this as a boat dive.
Rosia Bay is a place that’s steeped in maritime history. During surface intervals, take a quick trip over to Parson’s Lodge Battery, which is located between Rosia Bay and Camp Bay; in addition, pop up to the Royal Navy Victualling Yard Complex, which served as a vital provisioning point for the British Royal Navy throughout the 18th, 19th,and 20th centuries. The Napier of Magdala Battery is also located nearby. With well-equipped dive shops, diver-friendly accommodations, and more than twenty named dive sites, Gibraltar is one place you’ve got to see for yourself – and Rosia Bay is definitely an excellent place to spend some quality bottom time while you’re there.